Melghat
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Melghat (मेलघाट) is a village in Chikhaldara tahsil of Amravati district in Maharashtra. It is known for Melghat Tiger Reserve.
Variants
Location
Origin
Melghat means 'meeting of the ghats'
Jat Gotras Namesake
History
There are passes in Melghat that Kings from the north traversed to reach Berar, where the Imad Shahi dynasty had been founded in 1484. The historic forts, Narnala and Gawilgarh, guarded the main east-west ridge. In 1803, in the Second Maratha War, Colonel Arthur Wellesley, who later became the Duke of Wellington, captured the Gawilgarh fort from the Marathas.[1]
Melghat Tahsil
Melghat Tahsil, the northern tahsil of Berar formerly part of the Acalpur district, but since August, 1905 incorporated in the Amravati district, lying between 20° 10' and 21° 47'N and 76° 38' and 77° 40' E has an area of 4004.1 km.2 (1,546 sq. miles). Prior to the transfer of the Ambarva State forest to the Buldhana district the area of the tahsil was 4224.2914 km2. (1,631 square miles). The tahsil is also sometimes called Gangra and consists of that portion of the Satpuda range situated between the Khamla plateau on the east and Jaitgad on the west with the rich valleys and low plateaus lying between the mountains. On the north it is bounded by Harsud and Bhaisdehi tahsils of Betul district, and the Tapi river dividing it from Nimar district, on the south by the tahsils of Jalganv (Buldhana district) and Akot (Akola district) and Daryapur and Acalpur tahsils, (of Amravati district) on the east again by Acalpur tahsil (Amravati district) and Bhaisdehi tahsil (of Betul district) and on the west by Burhanpur tahsil of Nimar district. Melghat tahsil contains the richest of the forest reserves in the whole of the district. Fine quality timber is produced in the forests of this tahsil which has great demand outside and is chiefly exported to Bombay. Forest range offices have been established at suitable places and efforts to extend the forest area and grow duality timber trees are constantly made. The country is extremely rugged and broken into a succession of hills and valleys. In the more advanced portions, such as the neighbourhood of Dharni, and Bairagad when the rabi crops are on the ground, the green fields afford a pleasing and restful view to the eye. But the typical Melghat country consists of barren hills, scrub jungle and stony ground, and is of a most dreary and desolate description. The villages are collections of hovels without any shade and one can well understand the feelings of the subordinate officials who regard the tract as kalapani and whose health requires frequent visits to the Berar plains. There are no navigable rivers in the tahsil unless the Tapi which forms a portion of the boundary may be considered such during the rainy season.
The streams that drain the northern face of the range and fall into the Tapi are the following:- The Sipna and the Kundu both have their rise close to the village of Khamla in Betul district, the former running south of Makhla plateau for 13 to 16 km, takes a northwesterly course and passing through the villages of Harisal and Duni unites with the Taoi to the north-east of Amner; the latter passing through the Katkumb and Savligarh falls into the Tapi. The Garga rises under Vairat, the highest summit of the Gavil-gad hills and running nearly north-west throughout its course unites with the Tapi immediately under the southern face of the fort of Amner. The Kapra, the Majri and the Devan are the other minor streams which fall into the Tapi.
The climate of the tract has a very evil reputation, corresponding in this respect to the Dindori tahsil of Mandla and the Baihar tahsil of Balaghat. A severe type of malaria prevails at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the cold weather. But with the successful implementation of the malaria eradication programme the conditions have considerably improved. In the hot weather the heat in the valleys is intense and the absence of shade, the difficulties of water supply, and the general lack of all the comforts of the plains, make the tract one of the most unpleasant for touring purposes.
Source - The Gazetteers Department - AMRAVATI
Geography
At the northern extreme of the Amravati district of Maharashtra, on the border of Madhya Pradesh, lies the Melghat in the South-western Satpura mountain ranges. Melghat means 'meeting of the ghats', which describes the area as a large tract of unending hills and ravines scarred by jagged cliffs and steep climbs. The Tapti River flows through the northern part of Melghat Tiger Reserve and forms the boundary of the reserve together with the Gawilghur ridge of the Satpura Range. The forest is tropical dry deciduous in nature, dominated by teak (Tectona grandis).
The reserve is a catchment area for five major rivers: the Khandu, Khapra, Sipna, Gadga and Dolar. These all rivers are tributaries of the river Tapti.
The Melghat area was declared a tiger reserve in 1974. The Meghat Tiger Reserve divided into Sipna, Gugamal and Akot Wildlife Division, administratively. Presently, the total area of the reserve is around 2,768 square kilometres.[2]
Melghat Tiger Reserve
Melghat was among the first nine tiger reserves of India to be notified in 1973 under Project Tiger. It is located in the northern part of Amravati District of Maharashtra. Melghat Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as in 1985. The total area of the reserve is 2,768 square kilometres.[3]
Tourism in Melghat is distributed along 4 centers/villages. Semadoh, Chikhaldara, Harisal & Shahnur. There are some additional stay facilities at Kolkas which is 14km ahead of Semadoh. The nearest railway station to reach Chikhaldara, Semadoh, Kolkas, Harisal in Amravati. Shahnur is closest to Akola. The nearest airport is at Nagpur some 250 kms away.[4]
मेलघाट बाघ अभयारण्य
मेलघाट बाघ अभयारण्य भारत के महाराष्ट्र राज्य के अमरावती ज़िले में स्थित एक बाघ अभयारण्य है। सन् 1973 में प्रोजेक्ट टाइगर के अंतर्गत घोषित पहले नौ बाघ के लिए संरक्षित क्षेत्रों में से यह एक था। सन् 1985 में इसे औपचारिक रूप से एक बाघ अभयारण्य घोषित कर दिया गया। ताप्ती नदी अभयारण्य के उत्तर में बहती है और सतपुड़ा पर्वतमाला की गाविलगढ़ शृंखला के साथ अभयारण्य की सीमा है।